Adjustable display rack



Nov. 12, 1963 J. H. MOGULESCU ADJUSTABLE DISPLAY RACK Filed March 29,1961 1 BY 2 ATTORNEY United States Patent Office 3,1 ,462 Patented Nov.12, 1963 3,110,402 ADJUSTABLE DISPLAY RACK Jack H. Mogulescn, New York,N.Y., assignor to Consolidated Cigar Corporation, New York, N.Y., acorporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 29, 1961, Ser. No. 99,184 1 Claim.(Cl. 211-4?) The present invention relates generally to improvements indisplay and dispening devices, and it relates in particular to animproved collapsible, adjustable, display and dispensing rack.

Dispensing racks for packages or the like, of the type wherein a row ofpackages are forwardly advanced by a spring-urged follower or pusherupon the removal of the leading package, are commonly employed. Whilethese possess many advantages in that they attractively display thepackages being dispensed and are highly convenient to use, thoseheretofore employed possess numerous drawbacks. They are relativelyrigid inflexible structures of a bulky nature and are thus difficult andinconvenient to ship and store. Moreover, they possess a furtherdrawback in that they lack versatility, and are suited only for packagesof predetermined size. For the above and other reasons, the conventionalspring-follower advanced package display and dispensing rack leaves muchto be desired.

It is, therefore, a principal object of the present invention to providean improved display and dispensing device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improveddisplay and dispensing rack of the type wherein one or more rows ofpackages are forwardly advanced by spring-influenced followers or pushermembers upon the removal of a package from a corresponding row.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedpackage display and dispensing rack which may be easily and rapidlyassembled and erected or disassembled and collapsed to facilitate thestoring, packaging and shipping thereof.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improvedpackage display and dispensing rack which is adjustable quickly andeasily to accommodate packages of different sizes and configurations.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide animproved package display and dispensing rack of the above naturecharacterized by its simplicity, ruggedness, ease of operation and lowcost.

The above and other objects of the present invention will in part bespecifically pointed out and in part will become apparent from a readingof the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein FIGURE 1 is a front perspective view of a display anddispensing rack embodying the present invention and illustrated in apartially disassembled condition;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 2-2 in FIGURE1; and

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged detailed fragmentary exploded perspective viewof the front corner of the rack assembly.

In a sense, the present invention contemplates the provision of animproved collapsible display and dispensing rack comprising a pair oftransversely-spaced parallel, longitudinally-extending, mounting barshaving longitudinally spaced socket-defining openings formed in the topface thereof, a plurality of longitudinally-spaced parallel, removablepartition members extending between and disposed above said bars, eachof said partition members including a pair of depending legs releasablyengaging a transversely aligned pair of said sockets, atransversely-extending base member disposed between adjacent pairs ofpartition members and including depend- 2 ing legs releasably engagingopposite sockets in said pair of bars, front and rear stop membersdisposed at opposite ends of said base member, a pusher member locatedabove and slidable along the length of said base member, and springmeans urging said pusher member toward said front stop member.

According to a preferred form of the present invention, there isprovided a rectangular support frame including transversely-spacedlongitudinally-extending front and rear frame members, the mounting barshaving deep longitudinally extending grooves formed in their underfacesand engaging the front and rear frame members by which they aresupported. The partition members are formed of single lenghs of wire andeach includes an upper trans verse bar terminating in integrally formeddepending legs. The stop members are of substantially inverted U-shapedconfiguration, the legs engaging corresponding pairs of sockets, andeach base is defined by a pair of rods extending transversely betweenthe legs of corresponding pairs of stop members and secured thereto atpoints above their bottom ends. Likewise formed of wire are the guiderods which are located between the base rods, the pusher member beingdefined by a vertical plate having bottom recesses registering with thebase and guide rods. The pusher springs are helical compression springsresting on the base rods and encirciing the guide rods and are entrappedbetween the rear stop members and the pusher members. The rack assemblymay rest on a counter top or on vertically spaced horizontal or inclinedshelves or side tracks, or may be secured to side legs to form a columnof vertically superpositioned racks if so desired.

Referring now to the drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodimentof the present invention, reference numeral 11 designates generally theimproved display and dispensing rack which includes a support frame 11of rectangular configuration formed preferably of a band of any suitablemetal. Support frame 11 consists of transversely-spacedlongitudinally-extending parallel front and back frame members, as 12,connected at their ends by transversely extending side members, as 13,which latter project rearwardly of the back from member 12 to facilitatethe mounting and support of the frame member. It is to be noted that theframe member 11 may be individually employed with a single rackassembly, or that a plurality of the frame members 11 may be associatedin any desired arrangement, as earlier set forth, and to accommodatethereby a correspond number of racks.

Resting on and associated with each of front and rear frame members 12is a longitudinally extending mounting bar 14 of rectangular transversecrosssection and formed of metal such as, for example, aluminum or ofwood, plastic or other suitable sutficiently rigid material. Extendingalong the length and in the underface of each of mounting bars 14 is adeep, narrow, transversely-offset groove 16 which tightly releasablyregisters with a corresponding frame member 12. The Width of groove 16is slightly greater than the thickness of frame member 12, and thelength of the mounting bar 14 is approximately that of the frame member11. Formed in the top face of each mounting bar 14, along a linetransversely spaced relative to groove 16, are a plurality of regularly,longitudinally-spaced socket-defining vertical wells or bores 17,sockets 17 in the front and rear bars 14 being in transverse alignmentthereby to define corresponding socket pairs.

Dividing rack 113 into adjacent successively transverselyextending rowsor compartments are a plurality of partition members 18, each of whichis suitably formed of a single length of wire and includes atransversely extending linear upper member 19 terminating in dependingvertical legs 21'). The lower ends of each leg 20 of the partitionmember 18 register with a selected, transverse pair of sockets 17, thediameter of the sockets 17 and of the partition wire being such as toeffect a snug releasable mutual engagement, so that the partitions 18are firmly supported in vertical positions. The spacing betweensuccessive partition members 18 is adjustable in accordance with theregistering sockets 17 and is such as to best accommodate theparticularly dimensioned packages being dispensed.

A stop-carrying base member 21 is supported by bars 12 betweensuccessive partition members 18 and is likewise formed of wire andincludes a pair of front and rear inverted U-shaped stop members 22defined by upper longitudinal bridge sections 23 and depending legs 24.The lower ends of legs 24 of the stop members releasably engagerespective pairs of sockets 17. Extending between and suitably afiixedto the transversely-aligned legs 24 of each front and rear pair of stopmembers 22 are parallel coplanar pairs of base defining rods 26, thelength of the legs 24 projecting below the rods being substantiallyabout the depth of sockets 17, so that base rods 26 are positioned atabout the level of the upper faces of mounting bars 14. A transverselyextending wire guide rod 27 is located between and at the level of eachpair of base rods 26 and terminates in depending stub legs 28 releasablyengaging a pair of sockets 17 between the sockets engaged by thecorresponding stop members 22.

A follower or pusher plate 29 is vertically disposed and located betweensuccessive partition members 18. Pusher plate 29 extends longitudinallyand is of rectangular configuration. It has formed in its bottom edgenotches or recesses 25 which register with the rods 26 and 27, wherebythe pusher plates 29 are transversely movable. Each pusher plate 29 isresiliently urged forwardly toward the front stop member 22 by a helicalcompression spring 30 encircling the guide rod 27, resting on the baserods 26, and entrapped between the rear stop member 22 and therearwardly directed face of the pusher plates 29.

The assembly of the improved dispensing and display rack described aboveis effected by resting the mounting bars 14 on the frame members 12which register with the grooves 16 therein. The partition member legs 20are inserted in selected sockets 17 to divide the rack into a number ofcompartments of the desired width, and then base-carrying stop memberlegs 24 are inserted into sockets 17 located between the successivepartitions 18. The guide rods 27 are inserted through the helicalsprings 30 and the legs 28 thereof are-inserted into sockets 17 betweenpairs thereof engaged by the respective stop members 22, the spring 30resting on base rods 26. The pusher plates 29 are then positionedbetween the leading ends of the springs 30 and the front stop members 22with the recesses 25 engaging the rods 26 and 27. In use, the pusherplates 29 are retracted against the influence of the respective springs30 and a row of packages inserted in each of the compartments betweenthe corresponding pusher plate 29 and the front stop member 22. As theleadingpackage is removed from a compartment, the row of packages isadvanced by the spring-urged pusher plate 29 until the next leadingpackage abuts the front stop member 22. The rack may be easily collapsedmerely by separating the various components, primarily by disengagingthe various leg members from the sockets 17 thereby facilitating thestoringand shipping of the rack. The simple adjustment of the rack isobvious from the above.

While there has been described and illustrated a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention, it is apparent that numerous alterations,omissions and additions may be made without departing from the spiritthereof.

What is claimed is:

A collapsible display and dispensing rack comprising a rectangularsupport frame having front and rear longitudinally extending framemembers, a pair of transverselyspaced, parallel,longitudinally-extending mounting bars, each having a plurality ofregularly longitudinally-spaced upwardly directed socket-definingapertures formed in the top face thereof and a longitudinally extendinggroove formed in the underface thereof and engaging a corresponding ofsaid frame members, a plurality of longitudinally-spaced partitionmembers each including an upper transversely extending sectionterminating in depending legs the ends of which releasably engage acorresponding pair'of transversely aligned sockets and beingsubstantially restrained by the peripheral walls of said sockets againsthorizontal movement, a base member disposed between adjacent pairs ofsaid partition members and including a pair of longitudinally-spacedtransversely-extending parallel rods terminating in front and rear stopmembers of inverted U-shape configuration having legs extending belowsaid rods and releasably engaging corre sponding sockets and beingsubstantially restrained by the peripheral Walls of said sockets againsthorizontal movement, a transversely-extending guide rod located betweensaid base rods and terminating in depending legs releasably engagingcorresponding sockets and being substantially restrained by theperipheral walls of said sockets against horizontal movement, a pushermember slidable along each of said base members and defined by anupright plate having longitudinally spaced openings formed in the loweredge thereof registering with corresponding of said base rods and guiderods, and a helical compression spring resting on said transverselyextending base rods and encircling said guide rod, and entrapped betweensaid pusher member plate and said rear stop member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,524,748 OConnor Feb. 3, 1925 2,079,754 Waxgiser May 11, 1937 2,176,384Varney Oct. 17, 1939 2,299,780 Wolf Oct. 27, 1942 2,307,758 Brown Jan.12, 1943 2,715,467 Smith Aug. 16, 1955 I 2,954,129 Gordon Sept. 27, 1960FOREIGN PATENTS 645,212 Great Britain of 1950

